Mathematical game



Set 19491 D. A. ZARLENGO 2,481,05fi

MATHEMATICAL GAME Filed June 2, 1947 i INVEN TOR. yam/22k" fija'rv foPatented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE MATHEMATICAL GAMEDominic A. Zarlengo, Denver; Colo.

Appiieati'oirm 2, 1947',- Serlal N0. 751,794

I 5-Cl aims. 1.

This invention relates tea game. more particularly to an educationalgame for teaching mathematical addition and subtraction to: children.

The principal object of the invention is. to provide a game of thischaracter with which a variety of problems in addition and subtractionmay be presented, to which the user endeavors to select the correctanswers, and. which will designate mechanically whether the selectedanswer is correct.

Another object is toprovide a game ct this character in which separateblocks or pieces will be used in setting up the problem. and thesepieces will outline a receiving opening for a third answer piece in sucha way that only the correct answer piece can be inserted in thereceiving opening.

Al still further object is to so construct the device that the variouselements of the problem and its answer will be arranged in their:correct relation toa similar written problem, so the child willassociate the game problems with conventional written problems.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy; and emcle-ncy.These will become more apparent from the following description.

m the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like nilmetalsrefer to like partsin all views ofthe drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

form of problem piece used in the improved game;

Fig. 2 illustrates three typical examples of a second form. of problempiece used in the im P Q 'ed game;

Fig. 3 illustrates three typical answer pieces as used therein; 7

Fig. 4 is a face view of a frame for receiving and assembling theproblem and answer pieces of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 when demonstratingproblems in addition;

Fig. 5 illustrates the same frame arranged to demonstrate problems insubtraction; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the frame of Fig. 5, taken on the line66, Fig. 5.

The improved game employs two different types of problem pieces and asingle type of answer piece, all cut or formed from still sheet materialsuch as heavy cardboard or the like. The pieces are designed to beplaced in a flat frame I!) having a recess 25 formed therein, of a depthequaling the thickness of the pieces. The frame may be formed from twothicknesses of cardboard, one forming the cut-out for the recesses 25,and the other forming a backing thereon. It could,

howeverrbe molded from. plastic or other suitable material.

One form of answer piece is shown. in Fig. 1, designated by the numeralll. Each piece carries a numeral 15, and the pieces are numbered insequence from. one to nine, or less if preferred. An L-shaped leg I 2depends from one extremity of each piece I I,v terminating in a footportion 3t provided with a plurality of protuberances or tongues 14. Thepieces H carry the same numorals on both their front and. rear faces,the numeralson the rear face being inverted from the numerals on thefront face, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5..

The front faces carry 9, plus sign [6 to designate this face is to beused for problems. in addition, and the rear faces carry a minus sign I!to designate that this face is to be used for problems of subtraction.

The number of tongues M on. each piece corresponds tothe numerical valueof the numeral on that piece, that is, the piece carrying the nu-, meral2 will have two of the tongues l4, and the remaining pieces will havetongues corresponding in number to the value of the numeralthereon- Thesecond form of problem piece is illustrated in Fig. 2, comprising asecond flat, problem piece [8' cut away at one corner, as indicated atIt, to receive the foot portion 53 of one of the first problem pieces.Each piece l8 carries a numeral as shown at 20 and each is providedalong its lower edge with. a plurality of tongues 2t corresponding toand aligning with the tongues I4 Fig. 1 illustrates three. typicalexampres of one of. the pieces H. As in the case of the first pieces,

thenumber of tongues 2 lon the second problem pieces I8 corresponds tothe value of the nu moral on that piece. The pieces l8 carry the samenumerals on their rear faces as on their front faces in invertedrelation, similarly to the in connection with answer pieces 22, typicalones oi which. are shown in Fig. 3. Each of the answer blocks 22 carriesa numeral such as shown at. 23 which provides. an answer for a givenproblem. The numerals 23 are repeated on bothfaces of. the pieces 22 ininverted relation. The answer blocks also carry tongues along one edgethereof as indicated. at 24, the number of tongues on each blockcorresponding to the value of the numeral 23 thereon.

For problems in. addition, the blocks are arranged as shown in Fig. 4,that is, one of the pieces It will be placed in the upper portion of therecess 25, and one of. the pieces [8 will be positioned therebelowfitting the leg l2 and foot l3 of the former. Let us assume that thegame is to be used for addition and that the piece II carrying thenumeral and one of the pieces I8 carrying the numeral 4 have beenselected and placed in the frame It! as shown in Fig. 4. This presentsthe problem 5+4=? Since the foot of the piece II carrying the numeral 5contains five of the tongues I4, and the piece I8 carrying the numeral 4carries four of the tongues 2|, we will have a total of nine tonguesaligned along the bottom edge of the two pieces I I and I 8.

The user now selects one of the answer blocks 22 and endeavors to fit itinto the socket 25. If

the block carrying the numeral 9 is selected,

it will have nine tongues, corresponding to the nine tonguesof the twoproblem blocks, so that it will fit snugly into place. No other answerblock will fit, however, due to the difference in the totalof thetongues 24.

For problems in subtraction the frame II! is inverted, and the problemand answer blocks are turned over to expose their reverse faces. One ofthe answer blocks 22, for instance the one bearing the numeral 9, isthen placed in the upper portion of the depression 25, and one of theproblem blocks I8, for instance the one carrying the numeral 4 isinserted therebelow.

This presents the problem 94=?, and requires the user to select one ofthe pieces I I carrying the supposed correct answer. Only the piece IIcarrying the numeral 5 and having five of the tongues It will fit intothe remainingtongues 24 of the block 2 2.

The tabs II on their reverse, or subtraction side, carry lines 26 whichindicate the problem line, below which the answer is to be inserted, andthe front faces of the answer blocks 22 carry a similar line 27, belowwhich the answer in an addition problem is to be inserted. These linesgive the user a visual picture of the problem being worked.

While a specific form of the improvement has has been described andillustrated herein, ,it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing. fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. An educational game device comprising: a first problem piece; asecond problem piece, each problem piece carrying a numeral; devicesprojecting from each piece, the number of devices projecting from eachpiece corresponding to the numerical value of the numeral thereon; ananswer piece; and projections on said answer piece correspondin innumber to the total number of projecting devices on both the problempieces the projections on said answer piece'inte'rfitting with all ofthe devices projectingfrom both problem pieces.

2. An educational game device comprising: a first problem piece; asecond problem piece, each problem piece carrying a numeral; aprojecting portion on the first problem piece partially surrounding thesecond problem piece so that the lower edges of both pieces will alignwith each other; and an answer piece havingan upper edge aligning withthe aligned edges of the two problem pieces, said edges being irregular,the irregularities of the edges of the problem pieces corresponding andfitting to the irregularities in the edge of th answer piece, saidanswer piece carrying a numeral forming the answer to the problempresented by the problem pieces.

3. An educational game device comprising: a first problem piece; asecond problem piece, each problem piece carrying a numeral; aprojecting portion on the first problem piece partially surrounding thesecond problem piece so that the lower edges of both pieces will alignwith each other; indentations formed in the aligned edges of eachproblem piece, the number of indentations in each piece corresponding innumerical value to the numeral thereon; and an answer piece having anupper edge aligning with the aligned edges of the problem pieces, saidanswer piece having indentations in said upper edge, the number ofindentations in the latter edge corresponding to the total number ofindentations in the aligned edgesof the problem pieces.

4. A game device comprising: a relatively fiat frame having a shallowdepression of uniform depth in its front face; a problem piece fittedinto the upper portion of said depression; a downwardly projectingL-shaped foot on said problem piece extendin to the middle of saiddepression; a second problem piece fitted into said depression and intothe L-shaped foot on the first problem piece, the bottom of the secondproblem piece aligning with the bottom of said foot; and an answer piecefitted into the bottom of said socket below said problem pieces, theadjacent edges of the foot, the second problem piece, and the answerpiece being irregular and fitting into eac other.

5. A game device comprising: a relatively flat frame having a shallowdepression of uniform depth in its front face; a problem piece fittedinto the upper portion of said depression; a downwardly projectingL-shaped foot on said problem piece extending to the middle of saiddepression; a second problem piece fitted into said depression ,andintothe L-shaped foot on the first problem piece, the bottom of the secondproblem piece aligning with the bottom of said foot; an answer piecefitted into the bottom of said socket below said problem pieces, theadjacent edges of the foot, the second problem piece, and the answerpiece being irregular and fitting into each other; a numeral on each ofsaid pieces; projections on said foot corresponding in number to thenumeral on the first front piece; projections on second problem piececorresponding in number to the numeral on that piece; and co-actingprojections on the answer piece fitting the projections on the foot andon the second problem piece, there being a numeral on the answer pieceforming an answer to the problem presented by the problem pieces andcorresponding in numerical value to the number of projections on theanswer piece.

DOMINIC A. ZARLENGO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 356,167 Shannon Jan. 18, 18871,664,808 Cooper Apr. 3, 1928 1,868,823 Goodrich July 26, 1932 2,317,206Major Apr. 20, 1943 2,415,342 Donner Feb. 4, 1947

